'My Giant Life' Star Krista Kay Reveals How She Laughs off the Body Shamers (EXCLUSIVE)

Updated: Oct 3, 2017 6:07 pm
By Anna Quintana

She might be on the "shorter" end of the spectrum when it comes to her My Giant Life co-stars, but for as long as Krista Kay can remember, she has always been the tallest woman in the room. Growing up in a small town in South Dakota, her six foot, six-inch stature definitely made her stand out — and she has developed a thick skin when it comes to body shamers.

"Middle school was probably the worst for me," she told Life & Style exclusively. "My main coping method was comedy. I would just agree with what people would say in a joking manner which takes the power away from the bully. How people treat you, reflects who they are and NOT who you are."

She also explained how sometimes people aren't even aware they are being bullies, like when strangers ask her why she doesn't play for the WNBA, even if she did play five years of college basketball and one year professionally in Australia. "Some people literally look at me like I’m a waste of life because I’m not in the WNBA," she said. "I started rebelling against the stereotype that tall people should be basketball players. Even though getting the opportunity to play professional basketball overseas was a huge blessing, it wasn’t fulfilling enough for me.

She continued, "Basketball was the first thing to give me a sense of purpose but as I have gotten older, I know I have such a greater purpose than just putting a ball in a hoop." Today, along with starring on the TLC reality series, Krista is also a life coach and working on her comedy.

"The most challenging part of being tall is getting asked the same questions about my height daily," she added. "It gets repetitive but since I have been doing stand-up comedy, I almost look forward to what people have to say because it can be really bizarre sometimes!"

Be sure to tune into My Giant Life on Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on TLC.

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"Being tall makes you stand out in most groups. As with any kind of difference you have to learn to own it."

Maddie Crum
Books and Culture Writer, The Huffington Post

When Jessica Goldschmidt was five years old, she was put in a swimming group at day camp with a bunch of kids twice her age. She was taller than the average child, so her strength was assumed to be on par with the older campers. But, the current was stronger than her athletic abilities, and she struggled to stay afloat, nearly drowning.

Though her height hasn’t had quite as dire an impact on her personality since then, its influenced her work as a theatre artist. Along with three other tall women, she co-created, choreographs for and performs in "Tall Women in Clogs", a funny, feminist take on how height can shape a woman’s identity in America.

Goldschmidt met Sophie Shackleton and Katherine Cooper at Brown University while performing for a student production of "The Rocky Horror Show". After graduating, the three women moved to New York City, where they teamed up with Madeline Wise to create "Tall Women in Clogs", a variety show involving dance, physical theater and circus, which sold out on its first run. The troupe recently campaigned on Kickstarter to bring their work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.

"Tall Women in Clogs is an ethos, an attitude", they wrote on their Kickstarter page. “It’s a way of looking at ourselves, the world, and our bodies in the world as four 20-something women who take up more space than average.”

Below, Goldschmidt, Shackleton, Cooper and Wise discuss their play, their height, the Rockettes, and the woes of middle school dances.

Do you think being tall is an integral part of your identity?

Madeline Wise: In general my height is something that I feel doesn't define me. I'd always prefer that I am defined by nonphysical traits, because those are the traits I can control and cultivate.

Sophie Shackleton: It affects my feelings of femininity deeply. But it also makes me feel very capable, and older than my age much of the time, and is a great asset for leadership and confidence in many parts of life, too.

Jessica Goldschmidt: On a family vacation when I was five, I was so tall they placed me in a day camp group with the eight to 10-year-olds. I almost drowned because the undertow was too strong. So for me, early on, being tall became almost literally a matter of life and death.

Katherine Cooper: Absolutely.

You discuss a few of the woes of tall women on your Kickstarter -- that others expect you to be stronger than you are, for instance. Which of these misconceptions do you struggle with the most?

MW: I think the bit about being tougher than you are, probably. I've had a lot of people project stoicism onto me simply because I'm physically above the sturm und drang.

SS: I struggled with weight as a kid, so that is strongly related to my feelings about “bigness." I’m no longer overweight, but because of my height, I’m realizing that I will always feel like I still am “too large.” As I get older, I’m much more interested in embracing femininity and vulnerability. I’m full of those things too, perhaps even more because of my size, and I’m less scared of showing that.

JG: For me, it's this ideal that a tall woman is an outlier, that she must be either a) ungainly/"unfeminine" or b) supermodel/Rockette material -- ogres or sex objects, and not much in between

KC: I definitely struggle to share my vulnerability with people. I'd say that's probably true of a lot of people. But I think being tall exacerbates that feeling because people do expect you to be stronger and more competent a lot of the time.

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‘My Giant Life’ Sneak Peek: Haleigh Faces Pregnancy Complications, Alicia Jay Struggles With Dating

By Megan French 1 day ago

Standing tall! In an exclusive sneak peek of season 3 of My Giant Life, six tall women, Haleigh, Alicia Jay, Katja, Lindsay, Krista and Coco all deal with different issues related to their extreme heights and beyond.

Haleigh, who is 6-foot-7, and her 5-foot-8 husband, Bryan, have made it through their first year of marriage and are expecting their first child together. “We moved to Tennessee, and we’re pregnant,” she reveals in the clip. “We weren’t supposed to be able to get pregnant, so this makes this pregnancy a little more delicate.” 

In the preview, the couple learn there may be some complications with the pregnancy. A doctor is seen telling them that he sees a “big issue.”

Meanwhile, Alicia Jay, is struggling with dating because of her 6-foot-6 height — and because she’s a virgin. “I love my height, but I definitely think it’s harder to date as a tall woman,” she says. “If I don’t get married, I could be a virgin until the day I die.” The clip teases an awkward interaction when she tells a man that she’s a virgin after he asks her to come upstairs at the end of a date. 

Lindsay, on the other hand, is dealing with roommates trouble. “A lot has happened in my life. I dumped my boyfriend. I relocated to Las Vegas because I needed a fresh start. I want to get a roommate. I am interviewing someone who I met on social media. Fun fact: She’s also really tall,” the 6-foot-9 blonde says. “When Krista walked into the bar, I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s one of my kind.'”

However, things aren’t going as great as they both hoped. “You don’t really know the other person until you live with them,” Krista says, while pointing out that the freezer is disgusting, there’s hair in the refrigerator and Lindsay has a whole shelf in her closet of her roommate’s stuff.

“She has to realize she’s not the only badass in the house,” Lindsay quips.

Watch the preview above to see what’s going on with the rest of the ladies!

My Giant Lifereturns to TLC Sunday, September 17, at 10 p.m. ET.

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A woman whose legs measure a staggering 49.5 inches is trying to get into the record books. Holly Burt showed her very long gams to INSIDE EDITION and said she was frequently bullied as a youngster in her native Florida. She believes she has the longest legs in the United States. “They used to call me ‘Sticks,’ back in the day. Or ‘Golly, Holly the Giant,’’’ she said.

The six-foot, five inches tall woman now lives in New York City, where she feels more accepted, she says. The 20-year-old design student says does get the occasional come-on from men with leg fetishes. But her friends “call me ‘Tree’ out of love,” she says.

She would like to become a model, she says, but for now she is focused on school. And when it comes to dating, she says “I feel like I would need someone on my stature, just to, you know, balance things out.”

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6 Ways Being Tall Impacts Your Health

From heart disease to a high IQ, being vertically gifted affects your health in a slew of different ways

By Macaela MacKenzie

When you were a kid, being vertically gifted when everyone else was still a shrimp got you called a bean pole on the playground. Luckily, as an adult, it likens you to sky-high ladies like Karlie Kloss and Gisele Bundchen. But being tall affects more than just the names you got called and whether you want to wear heels on a date—it actually has an impact on your disease risk and brain health. Check out these six ways having legs for days impacts your well-being.

1. You could be at an increased risk of cancer. A new study from Sweden found that the taller you are, the higher your risk for cancer is. In fact, researchers discovered that if two people have the exact same risk for cancer (based on genetics and lifestyle), the taller person is 18 percent more likely to develop cancer for every 10 centimeters (roughly four inches) they have on their friend. Additionally, leggy ladies were 30 percent more likely to develop skin cancer and 20 percent more likely to develop breast cancer. Whoa! Researchers, haven't identified why extra inches could lead to the extra risk, but their best guess is that the more cells and tissue you have, the more likely it is that some of those cells will develop abnormally and become cancerous.

Besides breast and skin cancer, tall women also have a slightly heightened risk of ovarian cancer (about three percent). Even though this is slight, ovarian cancer is a silent killer, so tall ladies need to be extra good about regular ob-gyn appointments (find out Why No One Is Talking About Ovarian Cancer).

2. Height does your heart good and bad. According to a 2014 study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, taller people have a increased risk of certain heart issues like atrial fibrillation and valve disease. However, the researchers also found that other conditions like congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease are actually less common for those with a higher reach. What gives? The hypothesis is two fold: For the perks, researchers think smaller people have smaller valves that may simply clog more easily. In cases where height hinders heart health, though, scientists are currently looking at growth hormones for an explanation. One guess is that a hormone that makes people statuesque also makes them susceptible to heart problems.

3. Tall ladies tend to live shorter lives. According to research from the University of Hawai'i, there's a certain gene, dubbed "the longevity gene," that not only lengthens your lifespan but also shortens your stature. Unfortunately, the taller you are, the shorter you're likely to live. And the reverse is true for short folks—those below 5 foot 2 inches lived the longest.

4. Vertical inches could slash diabetes risk. A meta analysis of 18 studiespublished by the journal Obesity Reviews found the taller a woman is, the less likely she is to develop type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, the correlation didn't hold true for men who had a similar risk no matter their height, although researchers aren't quite sure why. (No matter your stature, keep an eye out for these 7 Silent Symptoms of Pre-Diabetes.)

5. Dementia could be more common in short gals. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that women who were 5-foot-1 had a 35 percent higher risk of dementia than ladies who were 5-foot-4 or above. Pardon the pun, but that's pretty mind-blowing. So what's the deal with dementia and size? According to the researchers, being super short cane sometimes be the product of developmental difficulties in childhood like stress or poor nutrition, which are also risk factors for dementia.

6. The leggy ladies could be smarter. Being tall may have other brain benefits too: According to another University of Edinburgh study, researchers found taller people have slightly higher IQs. Previous research had found not-very-shocking family connections (tall, smart parents tend to produce tall, smart kids) but this is the first study to find the same correlation in people who don't share DNA. Let's hear it for the vertically-gifted gals! (Not vertically gifted? Try these 10 Easy Ways to Get Smarter—Stat.)

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'I'm really proud of who I have become': Nearly 7-foot-tall Regina woman embraces positive thinking 

'Be kind to your body, because it's the only one you are going to get'

Nichole Huck · CBC News · Posted: Apr 30, 2018 6:00 AM CT | Last Updated: April 30

Miranda Weber has always had to deal with high expectations. At six feet 11-and-a-half inches, the 18 year old from Regina is the tallest of a very tall family. Her grandfather and mother both stood six feet eight inches tall. Her uncle is six-foot-ten. 

Miranda's mother Kathy says she always knew her daughter was destined for great heights. "She was never going to be a point guard or a setter, she was destined to be someone who had stature," she said. A doctor had once predicted Weber would peak at five-foot-nine, then it was changed to six-foot-five. "Here I am," Miranda said with a laugh. 

Early expectations

In Elementary school Miranda stood six to eight inches taller than her classmates. "In grade three I was the size of a seventh grader," she said. 

Know who you are and be kind to your body because it's the only one you are going to get - Miranda Weber

That additional stature brought heightened expectations from adults. "She'd be playing at the playground and someone would come over and say she's too big for that. People would expect her to act older than her age," Kathy said. 

Miranda became accustomed to the tell-tale tingle in her legs, a sign that she was about to have another growth spurt. "I would be very clumsy and unbalanced, think of it as being on a pair of stilts," Miranda said. 

She has used her height to her advantage for volleyball. She played with the Saskatchewan Renegades volleyball team. Now she is studying kinesiology at the University of Regina with the hopes of one day becoming a sport psychologist.

Following in her mother's big footsteps 

Kathy smiles as she listens to her daughter talk about wearing cowgirl boots to her graduation ceremony. For Kathy it's a sign of confidence, something she herself has worked hard to develop.

"Thankfully I've embraced being a tall woman. I'm really proud of who I have become and I'm able to showcase that with my daughter," Kathy said.

That confidence shines through in the advice Miranda offers to other young women. 

"Believe in yourself, know your talents, know who you are and be kind to your body, because it's the only one you are going to get."

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I am so honored to have been crowned Miss Tall NYC 2017 on May 5, 2017, in Manhattan by the Tall Club of New York City ! I am excited and proud to be representing New York City while competing in the  Miss Tall International 2017 Pageant this July 3 - 5 during the Tall Club International Annual Convention July 3 - 9, 2017, in Portland, Oregon . I am asking for your help to be able to compete in the Miss Tall International Pageant and to send a Founding & current Board Member of Tall Club of NYC, 6'3" Nashwa Shalaby! along with me to represent tall women, our tall city, and the tall Northeast Coast, as we gather with our tall international brothers and sisters in Portland, Oregon. 

As measured by Guinness Book of World Records, I am in the category of 10th Tallest Woman in the World and the World's Tallest Female Comedian. I aim for every man, woman and child on the planet to see me, a Samoan-Celtic American female, born of the High Chiefs of Samoa, the Black Douglas of the Scots, the Red Adairs of the Irish; I am the great great great grandaughter of Margaux Constantine - a French pirate & John Marshall - 1st Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, the only to also serve as U.S. Secretary of State. 

As a woman at  6' 5-1/2" barefoot at the beach, 6'7" in sneakers on the courts, 6'8" in cowboy boots, 6'9" in drag queen heels, 280 lbs, 11 years of college, born of free nations, chiefs, pirates, immigrants, statesmen, veterans, fisherfolk, factory workers, secretaries,  nurses and miners, couldn't we, once and for all, be rid of the idea that women are the weaker sex? 100% of humans come from women.

Join us in promoting positive facts about tall women, about all women.  In my year's reign as Miss Tall NYC 2017, I am linking with empowering movements everywhere - in schools, neighborhood groups, businesses, municipalities - in recognizing and promoting women and girls, of all shapes, colors, sizes, as the leaders and treasures that we are, while celebrating our allies of all genders, as we all hoe this row together. 

Thank you for helping me compete and hopefully bring home the crown of MissTall International 2017.

Love always,
#MissTallNYC2017 
#TheReignBeginsWithTallLove 
#WeAllHaveABrightFutureTogether

Visit the GoFundMe page

Those of us women over 6' tall in the U.S. (I'm 6'4") only make up 1% of the population. That's about 3.2 million of us out there. It's not a huge number, but here's the thing about that number:

• 99% of us are between the ages of 20 and 50
• We are internet savvy because we had to be (to find clothes, communities, etc.)
• A decent chunk of us tend toward the liberal because, again, we had to (traditional roles don't work with us, we faced a lot of bullying growing up, etc.)
• We are constantly exploring the world around us for innovations (because we're looking for the world to offer things that work for us)

Essentially, we are the perfect demographic for Jezebel. And many of us are readers. In many of the tall communities I'm in, we share Jezebel articles frequently. We are still, above all, women who want to connect with others and the world around us.

Well, Jezebel, you just lost us. The quick spotlight Clover Hope wrote about the TLC series My Giant Life was bad.

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I am SO sorry for the lack of updates in the last few months. I want so badly to update with good news, maybe I was holding out for that. Recently Fox 8 news came and did a story on my fight with Marfan Syndrome. I found out it will air tonight on their 6pm broadcast.

Visit the Fox 8 Cleveland page 

Since I last updated I've struggled tremendously with food, getting bills paid, and getting to appointments. I was finally able to get in to see Dr. Daniels, my Marfan cardiologist, I've been issued a permanent handicapped placard, and I've been diagnosed with severe PTSD & an anxiety disorder.
Each day I just pray for a miracle! Thank you so much for all the support, thoughts, and prayers. I can't tell you how grateful I am! 

Ashley

You can still contribute to Ashley's GoFundMe appeal or spread the word.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Go directly to Ashley's GoFundMe page

R.I.P. Ashley Britt (August 25th, 1988 - November 1st, 2015)

With sadness I have to report that my good friend Ashley passed away last night. She went to bed with her boyfriend and fell asleep. Sadly she never woke up again.

I first started talking to Ashley when she was still a teenager, I believe. Even though I don't recall how exactly / where we met - it was online, of course - I always enjoyed talking to Ashley.

She may have been only 19 at the time, but due to her history (Ashley suffered from Marfan Sydrome) and health issue she was already a real grown-up and wise beyond her years. That's she because Tall Woman of the Month for September of 2007.

I finally met Ashley in person in New Bern, NC in April of 2011. She suffered from a pretty bad pneumonia back then (probably another result of Marfan) and I thought she would die on me when she started coughing - and couldn't stop. I went back to the supermarket we just left and got her a bottle of water. When I came back the driver of a vehicle parked next to us was asking if she needed any help. Ashley never had it easy.

When I learned earlier that Ashley had died last night, I couldn't believe it. Even though I knew that something might happen at any time I still didn't consider the likelyhood that she might pass away before me. It's totally unfair.

But that's the problem with Marfan Syndrome. Sufferers don't usually get to grow old. On the contrary. They tend to die much too young.

For the time being I have run out of words. I may extend this in the coming days. I would just ask you to pray for Ashley and her loved ones. Especially her boyfriend Zach.

In the future I will focus on the health issues connected to Marfan Syndrome more. Rest in peace, my dear friend. You will be missed!

Ashley's Story (retold)

In 1992 I was 4 years old. It was during '92 that my father died from an aortic dissection. He was diagnosed, posthumously with Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that can wreak havoc on every part of the affected person's body. He was a man who stood 7ft tall, played basketball for Iowa State University, and lived his entire life with a diagnosis he never received. Medical knowledge of Marfan Syndrome was just starting to form in the 90's.

Three years later, at the age of 7, I was diagnosed with the same disorder. At the age of 11, when I stood 6ft tall, I was told I had to stop all strenuous physical activity immediately, or risk a sudden, unexpected death (due to aortic dissection). I stopped playing sports and started receiving annual echocardiagrams, and began seeing specialists at The Ohio State University's medical center.

By the age of 18 my height finally began to slow, and I stood at a towering 6'7" tall. Let's just say THAT alone has been an adventure (LOL!). Don't be surprised if you see me walking around in an Ohio winter with capris on. At one time they were designed to be long pants but with 42" legs there's only so much a girl can do!

I married my first love, Robert, at the age of 18. He was in the Marine Corps and had just returned from his second deployment. We lived together in California until he was restationed in North Carolina. As soon as we got to North Carolina I found a new team of specialists at Duke Medical Center. They were fantastic. While many would complain about the military healthcare we received, I couldn't say a negative word. I was able to get the care & medications I needed to thrive!

Things were going well. I had several medical issues that were attributed to Marfan Syndrome (scoliosis, sciatica, became legally blind without glasses, etc) but they were nothing I couldn't manage with the help of the great team at Duke.

However, my life was about to be rocked. In July of 2011 my best friend, a beautiful 19 year old gospel singer named Caitlyn Culpepper was murdered outside our home while I was asleep inside. She was a victim of domestic violence. My husband, at this point a Sgt in the Marine Corps with 8 years in the service and 26 months spent deployed, had been diagnosed with PTSD while serving his final tour in Iraq.

In September of 2011 Robert committed suicide in our home in North Carolina. I became a widow in my early 20's.

I came home to Ohio to try and rebuild a life for myself. By this point my physical health problems had started to affect my daily life. It was almost as if the grief and anxiety wrecked my body. I can honestly say I haven't been the same since.

In the last three years my health has declined dramatically. When I lost my husband I no longer had my health insurance through the military. I could no longer afford doctor's visits, medications, and preventative care for basic health, let alone to manage my Marfan Syndrome.

One of the most painful and frustrating aspects of my condition is the effect it has on my bones. They're weak. Did you know that connective tissue has a huge impact in the formation of your bones?

In the last two and a half years I've had three stress fractures (two in my left leg, one in my right) and two tumors (which were determined to be benign but I was advised to have them monitored every 3-6 months to make sure they haven't grown or become aggressive).

I'm a 26 year old young woman who loves to laugh, joke, and have fun. But I have no quality of life left. I'm no longer able to walk through the grocery store because of lower back issues (a condition called Dural Ectasia) that cause intense pain, numbness, and tingling when I stand or walk for more than five to ten minutes. My health has deteriorated to the point where it's physically exhausting to get out of bed most mornings. My mental health is honestly about the same.

Due to my physical health problems I'm unable to work. I had originally begun Cosmetology School to become a nail artist. I thought if I could just make it through my year of schooling I'd be able to have a career that allowed me to sit. I made it 7 months before the pain was too overwhelming to continue. I'm currently a full time student, majoring in Human Services. I want to help people who are in situations like myself. I want to be the person that answers the phone at your local agency (Job & Family Services, for example) who says, "It's going to be okay. And I'm going to do everything I can to help you". But I've come to realize, at the age of 26, that I may never have the chance to work. I may have to file for disability before the age of 30.

In the meantime, bills are mounting. Medical bills, utility bills, etc. I have to visit local food pantries often in order to eat. I DO recieve a small benefit each month from the VA, but it wasn't designed to be able to live on. I was, however, attempting to keep my head above water.

Anyone who has lived through physical pain, mental anguish, and seemingly unclimbable mountains, knows that 'when it rains it pours'. And it's pouring for me.

The last two weeks I've been experiencing excruciating pain through my left leg. I went to the same orthopedic surgeon who diagnosed my first stress fractures and found out that they believe I have not only another tumor, but another stress fracture as well. And this one lines up with the first one I had on the other side of the leg. They meet in the middle and form a line straight through my leg.

I was devestated. Incase you don't know, a stress fracture is basically a broken bone that hasn't become completely detached from itself. And this is my fourth. I don't work out, I don't run, I don't play sports..I just have Marfan Syndrome.

I started to cry and asked the doctor what he wanted me to do. He immediately told me to get OFF of my legs. He said crutches weren't an option. That I could put all my weight on my RIGHT leg because that pressure can cause another fracture to develop there as well. He looked at me and said, "Ashley if you don't get into a wheelchair you could take a step and your leg could literally snap in half".

Ashley's section on tallwomen.org 

I need help.

If anyone is willing to advocate for me and help spread the word about the potentially life saving treatment I need I would really appreciate it.

I don't have a family support system so I'm reaching out to my Facebook family for help. Letters have been sent to local sports, news, and media but no one has been interested in my story.

I feel as though having a support system behind me advocating for me and helping to spread the word would make a difference. As of now I haven't wanted to involve my Facebook family much but the bottom line is that im dying.

I'm physically, financially, and emotionally slipping away. I need your help. Please. Even if you can share my story on your Facebook it's immensely appreciated.

Thank you.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Here's another update before yesterday's update

Ashley writes: Had to take an emergency trip to the doctor this morning. Last night my leg gave out and I slammed the inside (of my bad leg) onto the tile in my foyer. Doctor says I have fractured the inside of my knee and have some possible torn ligaments in my knee as well. I cant even walk to get to the bathroom, and with Zac heading to work I'm not sure how I'm going to make it alone. If anyone would be willing to come by and sit with me for a little while I'd really appreciate it.

Happy Holidays, everyone! This is Zac, Ashley's boyfriend.

I wanted to take a moment and write an update everyone following her story on how she's doing lately. Ashley had wanted to update y'all herself but every time she's down to try and write something she begins to cry and isn't able to finish.

We went to meet a new neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic in late November. She was referred to him by her primary doctor at an income based clinic in Mansfield, Ohio. She specifically requested to be referred to a Neurologist who specialized in Marfan syndrome. When asked if she would prefer to go to Ohio State Medical Center or the Cleveland Clinic, she requested OSU but was instead sent to Cleveland. After the long drive to the Cleveland Clinic we met with the Neurologist and quickly discovered that his only connection to the Marfan Community was his wife being friends with someone from the National Marfan Foundation. He did not specialize or have a working knowledge of MFS. The visit was extremely short. She requested to be tested via MRI for Dural Ectasia (a common disorder that comes with the majority of people suffering from connective tissue disorders). The Neurologist ordered an MRI but upon speaking to Ashley's Orthopedic Surgeon in Mansfield we were informed that he didn't order the correct test to look for Dural Ectasia.

A few days later we made the trip back to Cleveland for an MRI that lasted almost 2 hours. Ashley, who is terrified of needles (and required an MRI with contrast dye) was not treated kindly by the tech performing the test. By the time we returned home, Ashley had received an email from the Neurologist stating, "Your MRI results were fine". We couldn't understand how that could be considering the intense pain and numbness Ashley experiences simply from standing for more than 5 minutes at a time.

A few days after the MRI, Ashley met with her orthopedic surgeon again. She gave him the disc with the MRI on it. About 45 minutes later, Dr Godfrey came into the room, obviously irritated because even though he had requested a copy of the report from the neurologist, none was sent. Dr Godfrey himself reviewed the MRI to the best of his ability and came in to tell us that at the minimum Ashley has a slipped disc in her back. He also believes that a severely pinched nerve could be the cause of the excruciating pain Ashley feels in her left leg continuously. She still doesn't have a diagnosis of Dural
Ectasia, despite the fact that she has every symptom of the disorder.

Dr Godfrey still insists Ashley be on bed rest or in a wheelchair but despite the generous donations on her gofundme site, we haven't been able to get her one. The majority of the money she has received has had to go towards utilities and travel expenses from her frequent doctor visits. One trip to the Cleveland Clinic costs us upwards of $80 (and that's without being able to stop for lunch or dinner – we've never been able to do that due to cost).

Emotionally, Ashley seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into her depression. She will be unable to return to college in the coming semester because, despite being so close to graduating, three of the classes she has left for her major are 'practicums' which would require her to volunteer at a local human services agency (Job & Family Services, for example) for 20-50 hours a week of unpaid work. Ashley has been told she is not to work currently because of the extent of her pain and numerous doctors' visits.. Most days Ashley is unable to get out of bed for more than five to ten minutes at a time.
She is literally lying in bed all day alone. She's had no visitors since this all began a few months ago. I was forced to take our living room television to the pawn store three months ago to get her to an appointment. Now we're unable to pay the $300 to get it out so that she can at least sit in the living room some days.

She will be starting at a Pain Management facility in early January and is unsure what to expect. Her orthopedic surgeon had placed her on a mild muscle relaxer (to calm the extreme muscle twitches associated with her pain that keep her awake most night) and a strong pain reliever.

She informed Dr Godfrey that she had finally gotten into a routine with her medications that took the edge off the pain and allowed her to rest at night. Unfortunately, Dr Godfrey decided to take her from 8 tablets of pain medicine a day down to 2 in only 2 short weeks. Her pain is back and worse than ever.

Christmas was a very sad and emotional day for us both. We were unable to do anything for each other on Christmas due to our financial emergency. This devastated Ashley no matter how many times I told her that I didn't want her to worry about that.

I work six days a week as a tow truck driver for a local company. Despite working 6 hours a day with two 24 hour 'on call shifts', I'm only making $8.00/hr and bringing home approximately $200 a week. We're not able to get out of the financial hole we're in and I know that stresses my love out even more. She feels as though this situation is all her fault. As a result, I feel like I'm not doing my job supporting Ashley.

We still have not been able to get Ashley into a wheelchair because the type she needs runs around $700 used. She has recently been accepted for Medicaid but they, so far, have refused to fill he prescription provided by Dr Godfrey for the wheelchair.

Many have given us wonderful ideas as to how to get help from the government in an attempt to get our heads back above water. Ashley has spent hours on the phone and internet trying to get someone, anyone to help her. Without children, however, she doesn't qualify for utility assistance, cash assistance, transportation assistance, or food stamps (unless she works 20 hour a week – which she cannot do). We're learning now that Ashley more than likely won't be able to file for disability because the small widows pension she receives each month from her first husband's passing puts her over the 300% poverty level (her pension is approximately $1100/month).

I'm working as hard and long as I can but I'm not able to provide for her. Ashley is the love of my life. It breaks my heart to hear her cry, whimper when she tries to stand up or lay down. I want so badly to find a better paying job, but with us only having one vehicle that's almost impossible. Our electricity is dangerously close to be shut off and we haven't been able to grocery shop in months. Ashley is currently eating one meal a day to try and make what little we have left. I would love nothing more than to be able to bring groceries home, tell her the bills are caught up, and surprise her with a small bouquet of flowers to brighten her day. Won't you please help me make this happen?

We would like to, again, thank everyone who has shared her story, donated to her, prayed for her, and even researched Marfan syndrome to learn how it can affect a person. No two cases of MFS are the same, some are hit worse than others.

Ashley & I are both very prideful people who hate asking for help, even when it's desperately needed. I'm writing today to plead to the kindhearted people following her story to help us in any way you're able. Ashley is the absolute love of my life and I cannot stand to see her feeling so lonely and upset.

Please keep Ashley in your thoughts & prayers. She is a good woman who has been through absolute hell in her life. She's been knocked down hard. Between the left leg pain, her hip pain (one of the tumors has flared back again), her lower back pain, and the frequent headaches she suffers from I don't know how much longer she has before she breaks completely.

Every person who shares her story on their Facebook page and/or website is advocating for Ashley in a great way. Neither one of us could ever thank y'all enough. Ashley has mentioned to me several times that she's praying one day she can pay forward some of the generosity from people who
follow her story.

Thank you for reading, God bless you, & have a joyful New Year.

-Zachary Gibbs

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Here's even worse news from Ashley 

It seems as though our world is crumbling around us. Zac was fired from his job today. I'm not able to go into much detail but it was completely unexpected and unwarranted. His boss wouldn't even fire him directly, he had someone else do it. According to several other employees, the owner 'avoids' the person he's firing when he knows they don't deserve it. Zac loved his job. He gave it everything he had to try to keep us afloat. He made minimum wage but was hoping to move to a better company with more experience under his belt. Tow truck driving quickly became his passion.

All of the progress we thought we'd made has disappeared. We couldn't afford to go a single week without Zac drawing a paycheck. He hit the pavement hard today but without much gas it's hard to tell when he'll be able to earn another.

I never thought I would do this but please, if you can find it in your heart to donate to my cause, even just $1, it would help me tremendously.
Thanks to an angel family that was brought into our lives our electric didn't get shut off and our rent was paid. The money that's been donated to this account (minus the large fee that gofundme takes) was used to assist me in getting to appointments, pay our rent, and put a downpayment on a wheelchair (still dont one).

I don't know what to do.

Physically I'll be moving into a different leg brace in about a week or so. Still required to be on 23 hour/day bedrest. I'll start intense physical therapy in the next few weeks as well. From there we'll have to make a decision about surgery.

Thank you for your prayers and love. God Bless.

If you can contribute to Ashley's GoFundMe appeal, please do. If you can't (and that's probably a lot of you) just spread the word. I promised Ashley I would do what I can and I stand by my word.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Go directly to Ashley's GoFundMe page

Here's not so good news from Ashley 

Joerg, I'm going to get evicted. My electric is going to be turned off next week. I'm terrified. I'm to the point where I just want to end my life. I've been trying to find help for days, I can't find any assistance because I don't have kids. I'm getting money from the VA starting this month but my bank account was overdrafted because a large bill went through my account when I didnt have the funds for it. So I wasn't able to pay any of my bills.

My doctor is saying now that he thinks I may need surgery because my MCL tear was a lot worse than he thought, now he's saying that I may have fractured my knee and torn my meniscus as well.

If you can contribute to Ashley's GoFundMe appeal, please do. If you can't (and that's probably a lot of you) just spread the word. I promised Ashley I would do what I can and I stand by my word.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Go directly to Ashley's GoFundMe page

Finally some good news from Ashley

I just got some exciting news that Fox 8 in Cleveland will be coming to my home Monday morning to film a story on my situation and Marfan Syndrome. They will be filming with my specialist, Dr. Curt Daniels, on Friday so it should air the following week. This is great news for the Marfan Family. Please send prayers that I can represent us in the best light possible.

Ashley

You can still contribute to Ashley's GoFundMe appeal or spread the word.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Go directly to Ashley's GoFundMe page

Here's the latest update from Ashley

I have a grade 3 (most severe) tear in the MCL of my left knee. I'm in a brace that goes from my ankle to the top of my thigh. I also have received MRI reports back stating that I have several large tumors that are intruding into my spinal cord, degenerative disc disease, a slipped disc. I won't be able to go back to school next semester (I'm going to be on bed rest fo a LEAST 2 months).

Zac is still working 6 days a week and picking up extra shifts when he can but our bills are still drowning us. We have received shut off notices for our gas and electricity. We're pretty desperate for help. I'm in the process of applying for disability but it can take a very long time for approval. I was going to venture out and try to get a job but I can't drive or walk right now and im supposed to be in bed 24/7.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Ashley writes

I was almost evicted last month and I dont have my rent for this month. Plus they've shut off my gas so o have no stove, heat, or hot water. My car is about to be relied over $200 and I have no food. Zac is working all the hours he can and looking for a second job, but he went a month without a check when his mom died.

Disability is dragging their feet. I have $15000 in back pay if they'd just approve me. I'd be more than happy to pay anyone back. I've had to cancel several of my doctor's appointments because I haven't had the money for gas. It is worse than it has ever been.

You can still contribute to Ashley's GoFundMe appeal or simply spread the word.

Read Ashley's full story

Visit Ashley's support page on Facebook

Go directly to Ashley's GoFundMe page

I know this blog post is not that topical but I'm publishing it anyway

Written by my good friend Uche Belinda Nnoka 

I was reading a blog post a couple of days ago written by a gentleman who provides resources for people experiencing workplace bullying. He had set up this organisation as a result of his own experiences with bullying in the workplace.

His post was about workplace violence where victims, after prolonged harassment and injustice, snap and kill their colleagues. The author made statements along the lines that not enough work place bullies are shot and killed and it serves them right when it happens!

It was obvious that the author was still deeply affected by the workplace bullying he had endured some years ago. His article was written in such a way that if someone read it and upon doing so decided to kill the colleagues who were causing them such anxiety, he could potentially have been implicated for inciting violenceIt was obvious that the author was still deeply affected by the workplace bullying he had endured some years ago. His article was written in such a way that if someone read it and upon doing so decided to kill the colleagues who were causing them such anxiety, he could potentially have been implicated for inciting violence.

What is PTSD?

This again made me ponder the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The National Health Service (NHS) website describes PTSD as follows:
PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event or it can occur weeks, months or even years later. It is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it's not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others don't.

From what I understand people that suffer from PTSD will either explode or implode. We've all either read or heard about the tragic shootings that have taken place in US schools, but there are debates about whether or not these shootings were manifestations of PTSD as a result of bullying or some other trauma. For arguments sake, let's say that 50% of the shooters were bullied; their actions show that they exploded. They lashed out in revenge at those around them. Then you get the following group who we typically hear about. These are the ones who self-harm; they cut their arms, they take drugs, they drown themselves in alcohol and tragically some commit suicide. These are the ones who implode, or harm themselves instead of those around them.

People affected by PTSD

There is yet another group of people who we do not hear about as much, but who also have a form of PTSD. I have a suspicion that this group is the majority, but there aren't any concrete statistics to back up my theory. These are people who neither implode nor explode as in the examples given, but just limp through life. They have been emotionally scarred by an incident or incidents, and although though they do not lean towards either extreme, their entire lives are lived in the shadow of what happened to them.

I'll give you an example. During the 50's-80's it was common for families from African and Caribbean backgrounds who wanted a better life for themselves and their families to go abroad to the country of their choice and leave their children behind in the care of relatives whilst they tried to get themselves established. The logic was they wanted to send for their children once they had found a decent home for the family to live in along with secure jobs so that the transition for their children from one culture to another would be as smooth as possible. This was the situation that my friend Anna found herself in. Anna had been left in the custody of her aunt and unfortunately, like a lot of other children in the same situation, she was horribly abused by her mother's sister.

Anna's mother would send money to the aunt to contribute towards the food shopping and other expenditures, but Anna was starved on a regular basis. Clothes that were sent from Anna's for her to wear were instead given to her cousins by her aunt, so she was both hungry and unkempt. One day, unable to endure the hunger anymore, Anna snuck into the kitchen to get some food. She was caught by her aunt, who promptly beat her and tied her to a tree in the yard for the entire night. This episode led to Anna having a life long struggle with food; she would only ever eat a small bowl of food (which is the portion she was allowed when she lived with her aunt) in the evenings which was not particularly nutritious and was the cause of her weight issues. As Anna explained all these things to me, I recalled her also saying in a previous conversation that if she could live life without eating a meal, she would. Her trauma over her abuse lasted nearly 40 years.

There are many people who are living like Anna as well as like people in my previous examples. I would love to be in a position to work with these people to help them work through their trauma and help them get their lives back on track. One of my goals is to be able to study what PTSD truly is and get a professional qualification. One of the things I would love to be able to do is to give sound counsel to those I meet on my travels who are suffering in this way. If you would be interested in helping me realise this goal, please visit my GoFundMe page. When I start the course I will keep people abreast of my progress via this blog so keep checking in!

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The astonishing Lindsay Kay Haywardis part of a new series on TLC. It's called "My Giant Life" and will begin airing on the U.S. cable network on July 14 at 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST.

All of the cast members are well over six-feet tall. The shortest woman featured in the show - Colleen, a 36-year-old former pro-Volleyball player – stands at six feet six inches tall and the tallest - Nancy Mulkey, a Texan high school basketball player - is six feet nine inches. Lindsay is not quite 6'9" herself (she officially stands at 6'8 3/4") and the World's Tallest Actress. As you can imagine these ladies have a lot to say about themselves and what challenges they are facing in their daily lives.

BYJULIE MAZZIOTTA @julietmazz

06/21/2016 AT 09:45 AM EDT

At 6'9", landing acting gigs is no easy task for actress Lindsay Hayward. And her bad head shots aren't helping.

To reignite her career, Hayward hires a photographer for new head shots in this exclusive clip from Tuesday's episode of My Giant Life.

"I'm here to get my head shots done, because last time I took head shots was a few years ago, so I definitely want to update my new, more radiant look," Hayward, 28, says in the clip. "I think that it's going to do wonders as far as getting my further in my acting career."

But as it turns out, Hayward is looking for less of a head shot, and more of a body shot.

"As a six-foot-nine-inch actress it's very, very important that I get full-length body shots because nobody believes how tall you are."

Hayward hates her old head shots because they were shot from an unflattering angle – by someone shorter than her – giving her a double chin.

"Everyone's looking at me from way down here and like I'm way up here, and when they look at me I've got that double chin angle, you know what I mean? It's not very flattering," she says. "Because I do have that as an insecurity, I need someone who's not taking that shot all the time."

"If I could change anything about my looks I would make my face a little bit thinner here," Hayward admits, pointing to her neck.

Luckily, she found a photographer, Sharon, who understands – even if she was a little surprised at Hayward's size.

"Holy cow, okay!" Sharon says. "I am used to working with much smaller people, so I was not expecting her to be as tall as she was."

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